The film “Esimde” tells a tragic story of turned into an amnesiac old man Zarlyk who after twenty-three years of ordeal in a foreign land, returns to his homeland.
Events take place in a village in Kyrgyzstan, where he is brought by his matured son Kubat.
Much has changed during his absence: the morals of the villagers, mired in the realities of a changing world, radicalization of Islam, growing crime, and moral corrosive corruption began to consume...
Zarlyk’s wife Umsunai, having lost hope of his return, went into religion, married the local authority Jaichy. The bright past invades the already accustomed Umsunai’s life.
But nothing touches Zarlyk. An inexplicable passion for collecting garbage replaced him everything.
Will the memory return to him and will Umsunai gain lost happiness when they are pressed by tight attitudes and immorality of the clergy, when love has eclipsed recklessness?


The film “Esimde” tells a tragic story of turned into an amnesiac old man Zarlyk who after twenty-three years of ordeal in a foreign land, returns to his homeland.
Events take place in a village in Kyrgyzstan, where he is brought by his matured son Kubat.
Much has changed during his absence: the morals of the villagers, mired in the realities of a changing world, radicalization of Islam, growing crime, and moral corrosive corruption began to consume...
Zarlyk’s wife Umsunai, having lost hope of his return, went into religion, married the local authority Jaichy. The bright past invades the already accustomed Umsunai’s life.
But nothing touches Zarlyk. An inexplicable passion for collecting garbage replaced him everything.
Will the memory return to him and will Umsunai gain lost happiness when they are pressed by tight attitudes and immorality of the clergy, when love has eclipsed recklessness?
Events take place in a village in Kyrgyzstan, where he is brought by his matured son Kubat.
Much has changed during his absence: the morals of the villagers, mired in the realities of a changing world, radicalization of Islam, growing crime, and moral corrosive corruption began to consume...
Zarlyk’s wife Umsunai, having lost hope of his return, went into religion, married the local authority Jaichy. The bright past invades the already accustomed Umsunai’s life.
But nothing touches Zarlyk. An inexplicable passion for collecting garbage replaced him everything.
Will the memory return to him and will Umsunai gain lost happiness when they are pressed by tight attitudes and immorality of the clergy, when love has eclipsed recklessness?
Info
Rating
Under 12 Not Recommended
Production year
2023
Global distributor
Bitters End
Local distributor
Otaku MTÜ
In cinema
5/23/2025